Surprisingly Stranded
by Sarabellum93
Summary: Riku is walking home from school one day to find a fluffy surprise standing at his side: a brown puppy dog who has clearly been abandoned. The silver haired teen does not seemed interested in the animal, but who could possibly say no to such puppy eyes? Sora and Riku, not a yaoi, no lemon, no cursing. Clean and cute friendship. For my friend, Riku (waves, hi riku!)


"I told you he was going to give us a test, why didn't you study?" Kairi asked as she and Riku walked home after school.

"Didn't feel like it." Riku shrugged quietly, knowing he couldn't have done well, but he nearly didn't care.

"Well next time we can study together." Kairi tried to smile, but Riku only nodded in silence. "See you tomorrow!" The redhead waved before she went her separate way.

"Bye." Riku said before he stuffed his hands in his pockets. His last year of high school wasn't anything like he'd thought it would be, but knowing it was almost over was the only thing that kept him going. He was getting tired, so very tired of the constant fighting his parents displayed almost proudly at home. Not to mention his coach's never ending nagging about his baseball scholarship which depended deeply on his nearly slipping grades. The silverrete let out a heavy sigh, wishing it were enough to blow his problems far beyond the touch of his heavy heart.

"I can't wait to get out of this dump." Riku muttered to himself as he kicked an empty soda can on the ground. The aluminum bounced on the asphalt until it crashed against a graffiti littered concrete wall.

"This city is just one giant prison." Riku sighed before he heard heavy breathing behind him. "Who's there?" Riku spun around and looked down to see a small brown puppy with the soda can in his mouth.

"Oh," Riku blinked in surprise, not sure what to do with the small dog who happily wagged its tail. "Um, shoo," Riku waved his hand, but the puppy only turned his head curiously to the side. The puppy was almost too thin, with pieces of trash and rubble stuck in his thick, long fur. His ear had a spot on it, not natural, but that of either oil or some other liquid waste that made it clear that the animal had not been groomed in a while.

"Where are your owners?" Riku asked, looking around to see no one within eyes reach. The brown puppy smiled through bright blue eyes as Riku stooped down to look for a collar under all the fluffy fur.

"Sora," The silver haired teen read aloud. "My name's Riku. Hmmm, there's no phone number, no address." Riku said quietly. "It looks like you haven't been bathed in months, or properly fed in a while." Riku added before Sora licked his face. "Ugh!" Riku rushed to his feet. "Yuck! My mouth was open!" Riku shouted angrily, causing the poor puppy to whine in fear, tail between his legs. Riku couldn't help but get sucked into the innocent puppy eyes that caused his lips to slant into a smile. "Guess you were just trying to be nice." The teen said before he coughed himself back into sense. "Well, I have to get home. You should do the same." Riku said before his hands returned to his pockets and his feet carried him in the right direction.

Just a few steps into his second attempt to walk home, Riku turned to see the puppy pick up the can and trot along up to the teenager.

"You live this way too?" Riku asked out loud. "What's wrong with me?" Riku put a hand to his head. "It's not like you can talk." Riku said as he looked down at the puppy, who seemed rather content to follow the silver haired boy. Riku continued to walk in silence, with an occasional glance to confirm that the puppy was still at his side with the soda can secured in his mouth. Once Riku was in his driveway, he stopped.

"Well, this is where I say goodbye." Riku said as he faced the puppy. Sora sat down, the can still in his mouth, as his tail rapidly swept the ground. "Goodbye." Riku repeated, this time waving his hand.

"Ahem," Riku cleared his throat, waiting for the dog to just leave peacefully on his own, but he didn't. "Well then," Riku slowly dragged one foot behind his body. "See ya," He said quietly before he turned his body around.

"Woof!" Sora barked loudly, causing Riku to turn around.

"What?" Riku raised an eyebrow. Sora picked up the can, ran it up to Riku, and dropped it at his feet.

"It's not my can." Riku folded his arms. "It's trash."

"Woof!" Sora barked again, his tail moving quickly as his tongue hung out of his panting mouth.

"You want to fetch?" Riku asked curiously as he bent down to pick up the can. "Maybe this'll work?" Riku shrugged to himself, desperate to get rid of the dog, knowing his parents wouldn't want to see the eye-sore on their driveway.

"Okay then, Fetch!" Riku shouted as he threw the can as far as his pitching arm would let him.

"Hmph," Riku smirked with crossed arms as the puppy darted after the flying can. "Dumb dog," Riku shook his head before he walked up to his door and fumbled with his keys.

"Oh great," Riku sighed as he tried to untangle his keys from his headphones which he messily shoved into his backpack. He was almost finished with the knot when he heard a familiar bark. "Uh-oh," Riku gulped before he began to hurry. He had the key in the hole just when he looked down to see Sora sitting by his feet with the can resting by his filthy paws.

"You're fast." Riku couldn't help but be impressed. "Look, I'm not a pet person. Never had one and all. It's not that I didn't want one," Riku began to think back to his rather lonely childhood. "It's just that my parents don't like cleaning up after messes." Riku shrugged in his innocence. "You can understand, can't you?" Riku asked in his utmost honesty, but Sora only whimpered as he tilted his head.

"Those puppy eyes won't work again." Riku folded his arms stubbornly as he stood tall. "I'm telling you, it's not going to work." Riku said, his voice beginning to falter as the puppy began to whimper, nudging his head against Riku's leg.

"Stop, you're dirty!" Riku pulled his leg back, his loud voice once again scaring the young animal. The teenager sighed before he bent down and reached out for the cowering puppy.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, I just," Riku looked behind himself at the large wooden front door. "It's not my fault. I'd let you in for a visit, but I can't. My mom would never approve and my dad would fake a reaction, and I just can't deal with all of it." Riku frowned at the corner of his mouth. "Really, I would if I could." Riku emphasized as the puppy moved closer to him to allow himself to be petted.

"Guess you are kind of cute," Riku let out a tame chuckle as he ran his hand down the back of the brown puppy. "Ugh," Riku paused his hand and peeled it off of the dirty fur, some of which shed onto his palm. "You probably haven't been petted in a while, huh?" Riku asked with a frown. "I wonder what happened to your owners. You have a collar, so you have to have owners, right?" Riku wondered before he made solid eye contact with the begging blue puppy eyes.

"Please don't do this to me," Riku whined before the puppy licked his hands. "Okay, okay!" Riku laughed with a shake of his head.

"Woof!" Sora barked happily.

"You owe me. Big time." Riku shook a finger in Sora's face before he stood up with a sigh. "Alright, but if I'm going to make this work, I need you to wait out here so I can make sure mom isn't by the staircase so I can get you to my room. I'll give you a bath in my bathroom, since the yard is way too risky." Riku thought aloud as Sora continued to move his head from side to side, earning himself extra pets from Riku.

"So you understand the plan right? Stay here, I'll be right back." Riku whispered before he stood up and unlocked his door. He turned to make sure that Sora was waiting patiently, but the second the front door opened, Sora ran inside.

"Wait!" Riku whispered harshly. "Get back here!" Riku chased after the dog who found a nice dress shoe and began chewing happily. "Not the Italian leather!" Riku face palmed before he began his tug of war battle with the puppy.

"Grrr!" Sora growled playfully as he shook the shoe in his mouth.

"Give it to me!" Riku whispered as he yanked the toy hard enough to win the battle and fall on his butt. "Oww." Riku mouthed as he sat up and rubbed his sore back end. He glared angrily at the puppy, who hung his head in guilt.

"Now, listen and QUIETLY follow me!" Riku whispered as strictly as he could before he grabbed the collar and dragged the hyper puppy up the stairs. Riku was just about to reach for the doorknob of his bedroom door when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Crap!" Riku opened his bedroom door, pushed himself and the dog inside, and shut the door as quickly as he could.

"Riku?" His mother knocked loudly as Riku remained standing against the other side of the door, preventing anyone from opening it.

"Yeah?" Riku asked, keeping the door closed as Sora sat patiently before him, looking up with happy and lively eyes.

"There are muddy tracks on my freshly polished hardwood floor downstairs."

"I'll clean it after dinner." Riku said as he gave Sora the shoe to keep him quiet. The plan worked partially, as it kept Sora distracted and unable to bark, however in his spirited activities, he let out a series of playful growls.

"What was that? Riku?" Riku's mom continued to interrogate the teen.

"It was….my…stomach." Riku tried to think quickly, causing words to come up like vomit out of his mouth.

"Teenagers," Riku's mother scoffed before her expensive heels could be heard echoing down the stairs.

"Shh!" Riku held his finger up to his lips as he waited to hear the car driving away. "Dad's out on business at this hour, so we're clear." Riku inhaled as much as he could.

"That was close." The teen let out a deep breath before he slunk down with his head against the door.

"Woof!" Sora let out a happy bark with his swishing tail.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Riku stood up and patted his thigh, signaling for Sora to follow after, which he eagerly did.

Sora sat down patiently with the shoe in his mouth as he watched Riku fill the tub in his private bathroom.

"Okay, get in." Riku motioned, but Sora only followed Riku's hand movements with his eyes and not his body.

"You can't be that heavy," Riku shrugged to himself before he picked up the puppy.

"Woof!" Sora let out another innocent bark before he panted happily.

"In we go." Riku said before he put Sora into the tub.

"Woof! Woof!" Sora barked frantically as his paws flailed in a desperate attempt to flee the tub.

"Shh!" Riku tried to hold Sora in the water, but the puppy's unnerving cries made it clear he opposed the idea.

Sora continued to whine and whimper before Riku let go of the puppy's fur to grab soap.

"No!" Riku called as Sora was finally able to leap out of the bathtub, dripping water all over the tile and on Riku's clothes. Riku kept his back to the puppy, his eyes busily shifting from the dirt filled bathtub to the shower curtain that fell off the rod, and the pool of water the layered the floor.

"What's wrong with you?" Riku sat on his butt, his arms held out wide to allow the rain to fall steadily.

"What's wrong with YOU?" A voice behind Riku said, causing the silver haired teenager to freeze his breathing and heartbeat.

"What the," Riku slowly turned his neck, and upon the image he saw, he freaked out enough to slip his way on his hands and butt against the wall for safety. "Whoa!" Riku panicked as he began to breathe rapidly. The once brown dog had mystically transformed into a brunette teenage boy.

"What?" Sora asked in a shy embarrassment as he blinked his eyes.

"You're, you're a, you're a human?" Riku panted with a hand to his heart.

"I'm a hybrid. Not a human, not a dog, but both." Sora shrugged as he pulled the shower curtain up to cover his otherwise naked teenage body.

"How did you, why did you, oh man, did I hit my head?" Riku began to wonder if he was hallucinating or even dreaming.

"You didn't hit your head. Just calm down will you?" Sora said as Riku closed his eyes and tried to think of an explanation.

"I've heard about hybrids, I just, I never met one so I never knew for sure if, if, oh wow this is real." Riku said as if to himself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just hate baths so I figured it was time to change forms."

"I can't believe this is real." Riku sat staring at Sora, trying to digest reality.

"I don't mean to be rude, but it's cold and I'm soaking wet. Do you have a dry towel and some spare clothes?"

"Yeah, yeah of course." Riku stood up, remembering just then that he too was wet and cold. "Wait why did you follow me here if you're a human? Where are your owners, or parents, or whoever? What's going on?" Riku asked after he threw a towel at Sora, who caught it and stood up to dry off.

"I followed you here cause I was bored and lonely. No one really stops to notice a mutt." Sora muttered in complaint.

"And all this time I talked to you thinking you could hear me, even though logic told me you couldn't, but all along you could. Could you?" Riku had to ask.

"Yeah I can understand humans when I'm in dog form. You're a really complicated person Riku. I mean," Sora held in a giggle. "You talked to a dog as if you knew I could understand you." Sora chuckled.

"So? Lots of dog owners do that." Riku shrugged to feel less guilty.

"Yeah but you said bit yourself, you never had a pet. You must have been pretty bored today." Sora smiled before he saw Riku's look of sorrow. "It's okay. I was super bored too." Sora tried to cheer Riku up.

"So, where are your parents?" Riku asked as he dried himself off with his spare towel.

"I don't know." Sora shrugged casually as he wrapped the towel around his waist.

"What, did you get lost from them?" Riku asked as he got some spare clothes for the brunette boy to change into.

"No." Sora said simply as he dressed himself.

"Well, then, what happened?" Riku felt bad for asking, but he couldn't help it.

"I never knew them. I was raised in an orphanage. It's sad but, I realized I get more free food and love as a puppy, so I usually stay in that form."

"You're homeless?" Riku asked in a whisper, not sure what to think or say.

"I prefer wandering," Sora said quietly.

"You're a stray." Riku said, as if he were once again talking to himself, but the words echoed into Sora's ears.

"I guess." Sora shrugged. "It doesn't feel so bad as a puppy. It's a lot harder as a human, cause it gets cold without fur." The brunette said shyly. Riku stared with wide eyes, unable to come up with something appropriate to say.

"Sora I,"

"It's okay, you've already done a lot to help. I don't like baths in dog form, but I probably needed it. I found an old broke down car to sleep under when it rains, but oil leaked onto my fur and it's hard to get out on my own. Even if I go into human form, the oil is still there when I change back." Sora sighed.

"Where'd you get the collar?" Riku wondered, noticing how his collar remained fastened around his neck. The boy had the exact same blue eyes as his puppy form while his sporadic brown spikey hair resembled his messy fur.

"I had an owner once. He took real good care of me. Bought me this collar, loved me like I was his only family. He never knew I was skin changer. I always stayed in dog form when I lived those years with him."

"What happened to him?" Riku had to ask.

"He was old. Had no other relatives. He got sick. One day, he didn't wake up." Sora said quietly as Riku looked away in thought.

"Was he your last owner?"

"No," Sora shook his head. "I've had a few since. Most don't last too long. If I show them my human form, they think I'm some cursed child. If I stay in dog form, they abandon me for a regular, well trained dog. Either way, it's like I can't keep an owner for more than a few months."

"That's awful that they'd just leave you like that."

"It's fine. Could be worse. I was surprisingly stranded. Nothing more." Sora tried to smile.

"What's going on?" Riku tried to shake his head clear, but the many thoughts clouding his mind remained.

"I can leave," Sora began, his hands on the rim of the workout shorts Riku had lent him.

"No, no, you don't have to." Riku offered a small smile.

"Thanks," Sora blushed with a slight cough.

"So, umm," Riku wanted to say something to change the heavy mood, but he wasn't sure what he could possibly say to kill the awful tension.

"Listen I'm really okay." Sora nodded as if it helped to prove his point. "I'm not sick, I'm not starving, and every once in a while a kid will pet me until their mom tells them I have rabies, which I don't!" Sora was quick to point out. "I'm just fine, honest." Sora's blue eyes began to shake, slowly making every word he had to say less valid than the one before.

"Okay." Riku nodded in a supportive agreement. "I believe you." Riku said, knowing Sora needed to hear it.

"Thanks," Sora said before it went dreadfully quiet.

"Um," Riku coughed to end the awkward silence. "So I know you hate it, but I should probably clean the oil from your fur before it sets."

"Yeah, probably." Sora didn't want to admit it, but he knew Riku was right.

"This time," Riku said as he filled the tub with fresh water. "is it possible not to make such a splash?" Riku asked delicately as he placed towels all over the floor as a precaution.

"I'll do my best." Sora said before he undressed and morphed into a dog.

"Okay, go ahead." Riku stood up after he turned off the water, but Sora only whimpered as his tail stuck between his legs.

"Alright, nice and easy," Riku said calmly as he picked puppy Sora up in his arms and carried him to the tub. The puppy squirmed lightly, but cooperated as Riku dipped him in the water.

"Shhh, there we go," Riku said as he soaped Sora's fur several times. The puppy blinked with big round eyes before he whimpered as Riku rinsed him clean.

"All done." Riku smiled before he held out a towel for Sora to jump into. The puppy hopped into the towel and let Riku dry him off before he shook his fur free of loose water.

"That wasn't so bad." Riku said encouragingly before he left the bathroom so that Sora could go into human form and change privately.

"I love the smell of human soap way more than dog shampoo." Human Sora smiled as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"The clothes aren't as big as I thought they'd be." Riku shared his thoughts aloud as he saw the clothes swallow Sora's thin figure.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, they're cozy." Sora rubbed his palms on his belly over the cotton T shirt.

"At least you're clean." Riku said as he sat on his bed and turned on his TV.

"So," Sora stood holding one of his arms, unsure what to do.

"You can join me if you want." Riku offered, so the brunette walked over to Riku's bed and sat on the edge.

"What are you watching?" Sora asked, his head tilting the way it did when he was in puppy form.

"Hm? Oh just some sports. You like sports?" Riku asked, but Sora shrugged.

"To be honest, I'm rarely ever in human form. Life is much easier that way." Sora scrunched his knees to his chest.

"Is that where you feel more comfortable?" Riku asked and Sora nodded.

"I was born a dog actually. I remember it all. Raised in a shelter. If I went into human form for more than a day or two at a time, I was sent to an orphanage which I hated since I had to keep my ability a secret. I didn't want anyone making fun of me or hurting me because of it. There are more of us out there, I know there are. I just haven't met anyone else like me yet."

"Maybe, maybe we can find some." Riku shrugged.

"We?" Sora turned around to look at Riku.

"Yeah." Riku said quietly.

"Thanks for helping me Riku. You're really kind."

"It was hard to say no to those puppy eyes." Riku admitted with a chuckle.

"I didn't think it'd work at first." Sora laughed along.

"So, before we go any further in this conversation, is there anything else I should know? Any other forms you take or any other abilities you have that could give me another heart attack? Any more surprises?" Riku asked lightheartedly.

"Hmm," Sora put a finger to his chin in thought. "Nope, can't think of any. I'm almost always in dog form since human bodies are more work and there's too many responsibilities and a lot more worry and stress and pain." Sora shrugged.

"Sora, if you feel more comfortable in your other form, feel free to change. I don't mind."

"You sure?" Sora asked, and when Riku nodded, Sora smiled. "Thanks." The brunette said before he changed into dog form and cozied up on the bed with his tail wrapped around his body.

Riku scooted closer to the puppy and petted his soft, clean fur rhythmically as the two watched TV for several hours. Once Riku let out a yawn, Sora changed into a human and covered himself with the blankets.

"Do you want me to leave now?" Sora offered.

"No, you can stay." Riku said as he stretched his arms and got out of bed to change into his sleepwear.

"But, what about your parents?"

"I thought about that when we were watching TV." Riku said and when he finished changing, he turned to face Sora. "You can stay with me in my room as a puppy, and when it's time to use the bathroom you can use it as a human. I can keep some dog food up here if that's what you prefer, or just bring regular food up here when you want that. I can get some dog toys to keep you entertained while I'm at school, and the cable has some animal channels too if that helps. When I get home from school, I can take you on walks or to the park. If my parents are ever home, you can just be in human form until it's safe."

"Wow, you thought it all through, didn't you?" Sora asked with a grin.

"I've always wanted a pet." Riku shrugged before he caught himself. "I mean, you're not just an animal, I uh," Riku put a hand to his head, hoping he didn't insult the younger teenage boy.

"I don't mind Riku. I like having an owner." Sora smiled.

"Cool. Thankfully my parents are both too busy in their careers to ever really notice me, so I doubt they'll notice you." Riku said as Sora nodded.

"At least now we have each other." Sora tried to stay positive.

"Very true." Riku let out a chuckle at Sora's innocent smile. "But this time, no more leather shoes!" Riku fake lectured with a stiff finger.

"Can I at least keep that one?" Sora pointed to the shoe he had already chewed bits off of.

"Yeah, too late to give it back."

"Sorry," Sora winced. "It tasted really good."

"I'll take your word for it." Riku smiled.

"So, you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm not putting that shoe in my mouth." Riku chuckled.

"No, I meant, about me. I, I feel bad about making you keep me." Sora rubbed his arm shyly.

"You aren't making me do anything." Riku scoffed. "You weren't the only one bored and lonely." The silverrete added quietly. Sora noticed the frown on Riku's face, so he changed into a puppy and licked Riku's face and neck.

"Haha, alright, alright," Riku firmly petted Sora and scratched behind the puppy's ears. "Yeah, I'm definitely keeping you." Riku smiled as he pulled the puppy close to his chest. "You're so cute!" Riku continued to rub Sora's belly as the puppy licked his face.

"You aren't a stray anymore. I'll buy you a leash tomorrow, and we can go for a walk." Riku said as he inhaled deep. "It's so weird to have a dog who I actually know can understand me." Riku said before he sat up straight. "So there's no excuses for disobeying when I tell you to wait or sit, okay?" Riku warned, and Sora gave an affirming bark. "Good." Riku nodded. "You'll never be surprisingly stranded again." Riku said before he closed his eyes, petting Sora as he began to fall into a deep sleep.

"Goodnight," Riku exhaled in his warm soft bed before his hand felt a texture he hadn't felt all day. "What the?" Riku sat up and turned on his desk light to see a small calico kitten purring in his bed.

"Meow!" Sora let out a happy meow as Riku stared at him blankly.

"A cat too? I thought you said no more surprises?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated anything in forever, so this quick short story should help until I get more writing time. I wrote this for my adopted Riku who is an awesome Riku cosplayer and a great friend I made at the last con I went to (new pics up on DevArt, link on profile). So yeah, **HI RIKU!** Hope you liked this quick little story.

There won't be any extensions to it, I have way too much on my plate with the five other stories I'm working on and the three I'm falling behind on posting. I have the ANIMAL INSIDE for those of you who like the idea of animal morphing KH characters (Soriku, Akuroku, rated M with lemon) for anyone interested.

Thank you all for reading!

Living Legacy, Sarabellum


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